Silence
by Lydiarrr
Summary: He was alone, without her. It was killing him. 10/Rose set before the Christmas episode please read review
1. Screaming at the dark

He sat, head in his hands, and wished for something more. The lamps outside the window were lit, illuminating the dusty room for what it was- dirty and decayed. Whiskey scorched his already sore throat, burning trails and it fell through his body like fire dancing around his hearts. Pain was good. It helped him to feel at all.

A slight wince warped his features as he accepted another belt from the barman and threw it back. He knew he had been screaming in his sleep again, screaming for her although the acknowledgment did not solve anything. The realisation that there was nobody there to calm him did not make him cry at the darkness anymore. He was numb to it now. Numb to everything except the nightmares that roamed his mind, torturing him with a life which was now impossible.

He wanted her back in his arms. Wanted the rush of warmth as he held her against his chest, the beating of their hearts becoming intertwined as she pressed her cheek to his. Her smile, her laugh. He wanted the exhilarating feeling of her hand in his and the wind rushing through his hair as they ran for what seemed like forever. He wanted to take her to mountaintops and beaches and forests. He wanted to spend the rest of his life by her side and die with her, old and happy.

But she was gone now. Lost to the cruelty of time.

And there was no going back.

He staggered from the bar, pushing open the door with his dumbed senses and feeling his way down the street. It was snowing, fat flakes of ice falling from the sky and soaking him to the bone. Although the cold was almost painful, the feeling felt good against his rugged face as he tilted his head towards the sky. He used to love the snow, but all concepts of love were gone from him now, dragged screaming into the abyss. His hands found the rough wood of the police box and a feeling of anxiousness came over him, as it always did before he entered. The gentle rising of hope that she may be inside, that she would come running to him and throw him backwards. A hope which was too tender to rise and too feeble to believe in, but a hope which kept him going.

The key scraped the lock and welcomed the familiar click of his front door. He nudged his weight against it and paused, with baited breath, before he stepped inside.

Silence. Although her scent still lingered slightly in the air he knew that he was alone. He could sense that the beating of his hearts was the only sound that resonated through the room. A sigh tumbled from his lips and his eyes closed against the darkness as he began the long haul down the corridor towards his room and the darkening void that was sleep.

He was alone.

And the silence was breaking his hearts.


	2. His Rose

He awoke screaming, his hearts thudding against his naked chest, shimmering with a cold sweat which chilled him to the bone. Knotted fists of hair tumbled over his eyes, crying silently over his cheeks, lips, jaw- the tendrils of tears arching tenderly over reddened and aching flesh. What was left of his mind had been shattered, his senses lost to the deepening void growing in replace of feeling. His feet slid onto the floor, carrying him numbly to the routine which had all too soon become what little he had for a lifeline. Head down, eyes to the floor, arms moving only to push open doors which threatened his path. He was tired, always tired and his eyes stung from an excess of tears and constant darkness- yet he persisted. Wearily, he persisted.

The wood, silky smooth bneath his rough fingertips, smelled gently of perfume and pine as his head bumped against the wall beside it. He stared vaugley at the name painted crudley onto the door, not having to read it to induce the painful and sharp ache in his chest. Fingeres explored the heavy brush strokes and he tried, he yearned not to remember. No more pain, heartbreak. The numbness which throbbed within his mind threatened to consume him at every turn and his hearts hurt trying to keep it at bay.

With a silent nudge the door opened against the heavy smells and quiet memories. Different to how he thought. It used to have life, light. There used to be beautiful feelings of early morning breakfasts and gentle smiles

There used to be laughter in this room.

Not now.

Toes sank deep into the heavy carpet, releasing pungent smells which triggered the memories, the pain. He used to sneak in here, cradling a steaming mug of tea in both hands and slide gently beside her. The feeling was softer then, the fabric gently caressing his skin, enticing him from the cold of the metal outside. He allowed himself an aching glance around the room- at the heavy duvet's and cushions strewn around the bed, the clothes, pungent with her perfume, hung carelessly over the headboard. His eyes fell upon the frozen memories captured within the silver frames around her pillows and he stopped, fresh tears threatening to spill from his empty stare. He couldnt stand the pain now, with every beat it worsened until he fell onto his hands, cradling his head against his chest.

'Stop'

Shouting

'Stop, stop stop stop stop'

'My darling Rose'

A voice. A voice that was his, once. To compare what once was, the smoothness and soft edge to the words, he knew that he had said this a long time before now. Hair fell from his hands and through tear-blurred vision he allowed himself to gaze out of the abyss that was his mind.

It was a recording, voice activated. The memory was feeble.

'I have long wanted to tell you this, and Im sure that once you are listening to this I will be hidden somewhere in the deepest depths of the tardis- hoping sincerley that you want to stay.' He paused 'I'm not quite sure how to word this, so I hope you will forgive me for blathering like an idiot but I love you. You are everything I need, my life, my world. If I could die with you then I would give up an eternity to spend our lives growing old together. I hope I can stand and run and be with you until the end of time. All my love and both my hearts, your Doctor'

The recording cut. The silence, a constant ringing in his ears was all that was left.

With every aching, weary inch of his body he fought against the furious hammering in his chest as he stumbled to his feet. Feeble but iluminated, the memories swam aroud his head and he threatened to succumb completley to their enticing glow.

This time, the voice which spoke was not his.

'My Doctor'

Knees hit the floor with such force they shook the heavy foundations of the surrounding room. He moaned weekly at the source of the pain, the heartbreak, the aching hin his hearts.

'Rose' he breathed, his hot breath graching the flesh of his hands.

'I am sorry I have not said this sooner, and that I may have also broken this machine. I found your message, the one you hid in the drawer by your bed and I am so releived to know. Truth is, I love you too. And if we cant grow old together then I know that a happy and long life with you will be enough for me. You are everything, my heart and soul belong to you and will do always. All of my love and life, your Rose'

The silence lasted for barley a second

Laughter. Laughter of joy, a sound which his voice had not been called on to make for what seemed like an eternity. His throat stung, his lungs ached. Tears rolled like diamonds from his eyes which shone like the sun.

It was decided. Without hope or agenda, the force of nothing could stop the burning which swelled like wildfire around his chest.

The force of nothing could drag him from her now, the force of nothing could come between him and Rose.

His Rose.


	3. Arrival

The soft swelling of the ocean lulled around his ears and his eyes, closed to the world, shone with a light which rivalled the stars. He dug his toes into the soft sand, feeling the cool relief as the gentle lapping of the surf swam around his skin, oblivious to the pain which was thudding, gently, in his hearts. There was a part of him, and there was no telling how large that part might be, which wanted to run, run back into the welcoming hum of the Tardis and slam the door on that which was impossible. This was wrong. He was wrong. Even the air, laced with salt and sand, was oh so wrong but yet he still didn't care. Not today.

With cautious steps he started along the beach, concious to every footprint he left, to every pebble he overturned. She was here, somewhere, breathing the same atmosphere and walking on the same ground. His mind was only acutley aware to how long it would take to find her and he was trying to block out the mechanics of his search. All that mattered was the future the eventual glorious outcome of his return and it was that which kept his feet treading gently across the sand.


	4. Tony

Four hundred suns rose and set before he found her family home. Set deep in the mountains of Scotland, the Rochdale Manor was a house of beautiful splendor, well kept and suited to its inhabitants. The grounds were vast, bustling with people as they made haste to perfect the already pristene lawn, each an expert in their own trade. With a steady breath to calm his nerves, The Doctor began to step towards the magnificent front entrance, smiling in greeting to the passing gardners as he wandered up the gravel pathway.

'Excuse me, Sir, but can I help you?'

A man had appeared on the front step, wearing a black suit and tie and carrying an imposing clipboard and pen. The Doctor stared at him blankly for a second before breaking out his usual grin.

'Ah, I, yes-' He paused for a second while he fumbled for the phycic paper, locating it in his inside pocket and brandishing it triumphantly 'See, come for the new job'

The man in the suit peered at this for a second before nodding in agreement.

'Ah yes, I am sorry Mr. Smith, I did not appear to be expecting you'

'Ah thats alright, um, Jeeves, now should I just make my way in?'

'Yes sir, there will be someone along to escort you to Mrs Tyler shortly'

Once again the man nodded and turned back to his clipboard, paying no attention to The Doctor as he cautiously made his way into the entrance hall.

He gasped invoultarily at the sheer size of the house.

'Bigger on the inside' He mumbled to himself in a brief attempt at amusment.

'Ahem' Came a voice from some way below his field of vision and he looked down in confusion, realising a little too late the face he had been making as he gawped at the ceiling.

'Oh yes, Hello' He beamed down at the small, round faced child staring up at him 'Are your mummy and daddy around?'

The child frowned and rolled his eyes.

'Look, I don't know who you are or why you're here but I was told to take you to my mother' He said, with all the emotion of a dead jellyfish 'So get a move on'

The Doctor frowned.

'Your mother?'

With a sigh, the child looked to the ceiling before fixing him with a stare.

'Yes' He said in a clear and patronising tone 'Jackie? Do you even know who you're working for I mean god almighty mate' Hands in his hair, the child began to walk off down the corridor, beckoning for the Doctor to follow and continuously mumbling about his incompitence. The Doctor could not help but smile- He was just like his mother.

After what seemed like a good few miles, the child stopped outside a door marked 'Office' and turned to face him.

'You need to knock before you go in, Mum says I'm not allowed in there so as long as you know how to work a door you should be fine'

The Doctor nodded and smiled at him

'Thanks very much' He said, trying not to advertise his nerves 'Um, sorry, I didnt catch your name'

'Tony' The child sighed, turning to walk off back down the corridor 'See you later'

With accidental ignorance, the Doctor didnt reply, only half hearing the footsteps dissapear down the corridor though the sound of his heart pounding. Behind the door was a woman he had not seen in over a year, and from experience would probably not be too happy to see him. With a slightly trembling fist he raised his knuckles to the door and knocked, quietly apprehensive of his welcome.


	5. Missing

'Yes?' The voice form behind the door sounded aged and weary, but there was no mistaking it was Jackies 'Come on in, dont be shy'

His nerves reached breaking point as he twisted the brass handle of the solid oak door and gingerly stepped inside. The room was smaller than he had expected and yet still posessing the air of grandeur inkeeping with the rest of the house, the bookcased walls steeped in a heavy sense of age and mystery. Across from him sat a large, heavily cluttered desk, overflowing with maps and books and empty mugs and behind which was a chair which contained a small, blonde, tired looking Jackie. She was deep in her work as he stepped into the room and did not look up, too busy concentrating on whatever it was she appeared to be writing down. The Doctor cleared his throat and opened his mouth to speak.

'Jackie?'

She stopped writing and instead stared at the paper in a sense of disbelief before glancing up at him. She watched him for a second and then shook her head slightly, as though to try and stir any trickery from her eyes. When she was sure he was real she stood and leant against the desk.

'Doctor?' Her voice was shaky but firm 'Why are you here? How are you here? What do you-' She stopped midway through the sentence before hanging her head and closing her eyes, clearly trying to regain control of her thoughts before she continued.

'First things first' She said, attempting a smile but failing miserably 'I think Pete may like to know you're here, so if you dont mind I think I'm going to find him. Alright?'

The Doctor nodded, allowing her to move from the room and vanish down the corridor with a shaky disposition and taking advantage of the time to look through the office. A closer inspection of the desk discovered Jackie had been working on a list, although what of he couldnt decide. Her writing was small and messy and what he could make out were simply random names, occasionally scribbled out and replaced with a frustrated comment.

'Doctor' Came a voice he recongised to be Peter's ' To what do we owe the pleasure?' Peter was smiling although it could not mask the flurry of emotions raging from behind his eyes. The Doctor simply nodded at him in aknowledgment, choosing to ignore the petty malice which laced his voice.

'Please, sit down' Jackie said, as though quietly trying to distract Pete from his own thoughts. They did as she asked and perched uncomfortably of a handful of chairs scattered arounf the room.

Silence followed, broken only by the shuffling of feet on carpet or drumming of fingers on skin. After a while it became almost impossible to tell how long it had been since they had last looked eachother in the face, and it was longer still before somebody spoke.

'Why did you come back?' The voice trembled slightly, its feminine air becoming a window to the vulnerability and hurt masked by the steely controlled eyes of the owner. She went to say something else, opening her mouth in anticipation that the words in her head would reassemble themselves to form a legitimate statement, question. The two men looked at her, one with pity, one with shame and she thought better of speech, choosing instead to stare at her hands which were clasped in her lap.

'I think you know the answer to that, Jackie' He replied, quieter than he had been before 'I'm going crazy without her'

He looked at his hands, then back at the husband and wife sitting before him, attempting to put together a statment reasonable enough to voice his need.

'How did you get here?' Jackie spoke before he did, no longer staring at her hands but instead watching him with gentle amazment 'I thought you said you could never come back'

'I did, but I managed to get through again'

'How?' She spoke softly but firmly. Gently demanding an answer.

He paused, hesitating, stalling for the right words.

'I burned up a sun, at the centre of a galaxy' He paused and stared at the ceiling for a second 'it was enough to force through, enough energy to create a hole large enough to allow...' He trailed off, deep in the heavy thoughts of his actions. Jackie was silent.

'You nearly killed her' Pete spoke, properly, for the first time and the coldness, the sheer force of control in his voice tied the gut of both Jackie and The Doctor in knots of apprehantion.

'Pete don't' softly, she was mumbling into her hands 'He didn't, he wouldn't' she breathed in sharply and spoke with a more defined edge 'he can help us, find her, I mean, he can-'

Find her? The doctor looked up in confusion, about to open his mouth to speak before Pete cut in harshly and with an air of deep frustration.

'Screw that! He almost killed her, he drags her into danger and hurt and, and pure and total recklessness and then just leaves her, crying, on her knees on a beach in Norway! FUCKING NORWAY, JACKS!'

Jackie hung her head in defeat.

'And don't you think, not for one second, that you can come back here and just, just, ask for her back because I'll tell you now, pal, putting her life in danger was not just a speciality you had when you were around.'

The Doctor stared around the room, horrified as he realised that he was not the only sufferer. She was missing and she was hurt. She was hurt bad.

And suddenly, oh so suddenly, the worry and pain which riddled the features, the voices, of her parents seemed very, very real.


	6. Time

In total it took them eighteen months to find a positive lead with a matching description. A small house in a village in Cornwall which had been overlooked so many times for no apparent reason, almost like it was perception filtered- concealed from view. As expected the name had been changed but by what little pictures they had it seemed like this was it. Jackie and Pete were less than happy about him going alone, but in the end all they needed to know was that she was safe. With a concious realisation they both accepted that she had left for a reason, and he was all she really needed right now- no matter how much they hated to admit it.

He left the same night, his face adopting an expression it had not been called upon to make for a long time.

For the first time in two-and-a-half years, he smiled.


	7. Pouring

The day dawned wet and rainy, an unusual start to the near constant midsummer sun which had bleached the area dry over the past few months. A gentle patter on the welcoming soil bid good morning to the starved trees and flowers scattered widley around the few cottages lining the lane, although few of their occupants were awake to hear the pitter on the windows or the trickle down the walls. However, not all of the inhabitants slept through the unusuality of the morn, proof of which arriving in the form of a young girl who appeared in a window before turning back inside.

The girl sniffed airly and wandered back through the empty room and into the house, stepping down the stairs with caution before landing in the kitchen. She wasnt particularly hungry but yet she felt eating had become compulsory, unable to remember the last time she sat down with a meal. Indifferently and with an air of carelessness she reached for the fruit bowl, clasping an apple and bringing it close to her face with a slight frown. He loved apples, she thought before throwing it across the room with disgust.

'Don't do it' She told herself, ruthlessly 'Dont think about him. Remember what he did to you, remember how he left you here'

Absently, she began to play with the hem of her shirt, still mumbling empty curses to herself.

A sharp scraping at the door brought her our of her reverie, standing to unhook the latch with cautious curiosity which was thwarted with little surprise when a small, black cat brushed up against her jeans in an attempt at dryness. She smiled tightly and lifted her from the floor.

'Whats the matter, Chambers?' She cooed, rubbing her nose against the cats face 'Too cold for you?'

The cat simply mewed softly and squirmed out of her grip, landing on the floor with a pad and wandering off into the living room. The girl smiled and turned to close the door, following the Chambers into the other room and landing with a thwump on the sofa. She sat there for a few minutes, staring out at the rain before coming to her senses with a brief shake of her head and wandering back to the kitchen. To an observer it would seem as though she had lost her mind, as though she didn't quite know what to do with herself. To a friend, the circumstaces would seem the same.

The door to the fridge opened with a clatter as its contents spilled to the floor. Tutting, the girl bent over to collect the various jars and bottles which had toppled from the, now broken, dairy shelf on the inside of the door before selecting a bottle of wine and placing it on the table. What the wine was she didnt care, just as long as it was mostly full. The fridge closed, she fell into one of the solid oak dining chairs and wrestled deftly with the corkscrew. She had gone far past glasses and mugs, to the point whereby she would simply drink from the bottle until she passed out or threw up. Drowing her sorrows had become a regular thing and she was too far gone now to remember when she had started.

The bottle had barely touched her lips when there came a knock on the door.

With a heavy sigh the girl set the wine back on the table and shuffled over, peering through the window in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the visitor. The door opened heavily and she found herself looking upon a figure in the rain, some fifteen feet from the house, looking at her intently. Even with the distance an the thick curtain of water bwtween them, there was no denying who it was.

'Doctor?' she said, quieter than she expected. She cleared her throat. 'Doctor?'

* * *

The wood grazed his knuckles as he knocked heavily, his hearts thudding rhythmically in his chest. This was it, he knew it. He could feel her close, he could sense her before him. He peered gingerly through the window in the door, his eyes falling on the figure sitting at the table. Her hair was longer, tied up carelessly and she had lost serious amounts of weight. He watched her for a second, noticing her spine through her skin and the awkward way in which she moved, feeling an agony, a fury flaring up inside his chest. He had done this, and he was afraid.

It was a good thirty seconds beore she turned to face the door, her deep brown eyes filled with a despairing sadness. He found himself backing away from the house, his eyes blinded by tears of anguish. He couldn't face her, he was a coward yes, but he couldnt put her through it again. Those eyes, those haunting eyes. She was still beautiful, so so beautiul, but she was no longer his, and he had lost her with his own foolishness. Turning, he walked towards the woods borderlining the garden, burying his face in his hands and wiping his tears with the tips of his fingers. With a semi concious effort he acknowledged every step he took away from his life, his everything and it was killing him.

He was almost gone when she called his name.

'Doctor?'

Stopping, the furious thudding in his cheast threatening to take him. Her voice was strained, but it was hers. By the gods, it was hers. With tears spilling down his face he turned to her, staring at her face with breathless awe. He couldnt move, no matter how much he willed his legs to take him from her they would not shift from the sodden grass. She moved towards him, her socks becoming muddied messes the further she got from the safety of the house. For a second his brain retained hold of his need to get away, to not hurt her any more but then it was gone, lost.

She was standing a foot away from him now, tears streaming in rivulets down her face and mingling with the poring rain, soaking her to the bone.

'Are you real?' She was shivering, her voice shaking to match her quivering form.

'Yes' His voice was thick and low, dripping with a raw emotion that left his throat burning. She had bridged the gap between them, her breath gently gracing his face when she spoke and the tears clinging to her lashes clearley visible in the early morning light. They stood there for what seemed like forever, neither one beleiving in the other. It was an eternity before either of them moved, and even then it was without awareness. It was the girl that shifted from the stasis of disbelief, raising her hand to touch the damp and bristled cheek of her opponent. He whimpered as her fingers found his skin, the soft silk spreading warmth to his aching bones. With a jolt the hand was removed, to be brought with violent force toward his face. He winced instinctivley as the his cheek burned with the impact, the pain of the slap matched by the realisation of destest behind the gesture.

'WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOURE DOING HERE YOU SON OF A BITCH?' She was screaming at him, fury burning in her eyes. 'DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU DID, HOW LONG ITS BEEN? AND YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST WALK BACK HERE LIKE, LIKE ITS ALL FINE. YOU BASTARD! YOU TOTAL BASTARD! I FUCKING LOV- I MEAN YOU JUST- YOU JUST LEFT AND YOU EXPECTED ME TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU, YOU EXPECTED ME TO...' She trailed off, her voice becoming clogged with the thickness of the hatred, the emotion, the power behind her scream pulling her to her knees. burning with anguish he knelt beside her and lifted her face to his.

'Im so sorry, Rose. I-I came back for you, I dont want to hurt you, I never wante- I mean I cant'

She looked him in the eyes with a flash of pity, taking his face in her hands and cutting off his incoherent ramblings.

'Please don't' The screaming had stopped, replaced by exhausted relief 'I don't blame you, I just- I didnt mean all that. I can't believe youre real and I cant live if you slip away I just cant, not now'

With a sudden flurry of movement he wrapped his arms around her torso and pulled her into his chest, holding her tight against his hearts.

'I can't lose you again'

'Neither can I' He mumbled into her hair, the rain washing over their entwined and muddied forms. 'Neither can I'


	8. Tranquility

He awoke with an air of tranquil calm, pulling himself slowly to sit and drink in the soft darkness of the room. With careful deliberation he realised that the room he was in was not his own although it took him a while to figure out where he was and why he was there. The sheets under his palms and body were gentle and adorned in a soft pink, patterned with what looked like white roses in the darkness of his surroundings. Across the room from him sat a squat chest of drawers with numerous photographs perched on the surface, although their occupants were just dark figures in the shadow of the early hour. Slow recognition sparked a memory deep within his mind, the sheets, the photographs, the pastel pinks of the walls and floor- he was in Roses bedroom. With little else to remember he closed his eyes and rubbed the lids, causing sparks to flash before him in deep and sudden reconcile of pain and loss.

He had dreamed of her. The glimmer of hope, finding her again, touching her skin as she held him tightly in her arms and the gentle perfume of her golden hair- it had all been fantasy. A twisted trick which his ill mind had played on the rest of his soul. He curled himself as small as he could and let his body shake and contort from the agony of loss, let the burning tears scorch his face and run in rivers over his skin. Alone again. Completely and totally alone. The air he breathed hurt his lungs and he gulped and struggled to swallow the oxygen. Why, Why, WHY?

'Doctor?'

A hand, cool and soft lay resting on the painful arch of his spine.

'Whats wrong?' The voice matched the skin, soft, gentle and soothing. He opened his eyes in confusion and turned to face her.

It was Rose, his Rose. Her face furrowed into a concerned frown and her beautiful eyes glistening with worry. She took his hand and he whimpered with all the grace of a child awaking from a nightmare. The hand which lay on his back moved to his face and brushed away the tears and the heat and the pain from his flesh, glowing with impossible hope. She smiled and a flurry awoke in his stomach. With aching fingers he reached to hold her face, to touch the impossible skin, feel her beauty in his hands.

'Are you real?' He asked, his voice cracking in a mixture of joy and disbelief. She smiled and kissed his fingertips.

'Yes'

'Prove it' He pleaded, staring into the milky chocolate of her eyes 'Please'

With a slight sigh she took his hand and held it up to her own, kissing the fingers with insurmountable love.

'Is that real?' She asked, cocking her head to one side and letting the waterfall of gold tumble over her shoulder. He didn't reply, only watched her with awe.

Taking his hand in hers she placed it on her hip and pulled herself over so that she was wrapped around his torso. As she ran her fingers over his back and into his hair she kissed him on the tip of his nose and smiled.

'Was that real?'

This time he nodded but with little enthusiasm, still frozen from the shock and awe of her presence. With an audible sigh she pushed her lips against his and moved with precise expertise, letting him melt against her touch and pull her close against his skin.

'Am I real?' She smiled, resting her forehead against his and closing her eyes. He mirrored her stance and her smile, running his hands over her skin and falling back into bliss.

'Yes' It was said with absolute and unequivocal certainty. He pressed his hands against her face and looked right into her.

'Rose Tyler' He breathed, watching her smile and nuzzle into his palms as he spoke her name it should have been said months ago, it could have saved him then. After everything he had done in all his years alive on all the planets and times he'd seen he knew there was nothing more definite, more set in stone, more fixed in his life than the beauty he held in his arms and he knew he should have told her every second she was alive because he could not bear to be apart from her. With a contented sigh he leaned into her and whispered with unsuppressed longing.

'I love you'


	9. The Wedding

The sun was at a magnificent high over the golden treetops of the planet Amore, sparkling light shimmering as diamonds over the crystal seas. Music sounded softly from the gentle lawns between the forests and nervous laughter resonated between the trees as a young bride shared a drink with her mother, beautifully dressed and awaiting her cue.

For a wedding, the day could not have been more perfect and both the bride and groom shared in its beauty as the guests took their seats along the aisle.

'I think its time, sweetheart' The voice of the mother was quiet and soft with a harsh accent in comparison to the setting. The bride did not reply, pressing her hands together and smiling with a nervous tremor behind a loose curl of hair.

From between the golden trees came the delicate notes played by alien instruments. The bride sighed heavily and blinked the happy tears back from behind her eyes, blushing a colour to match her name.

'Rose' Her mother smiled encouringly, holding out a magnificent bouquet of the whitest lillies and quietly humble forget me nots. Rose accepted it with shaking hands and gingerley took her first steps down the aisle, watching her feet for a while before looking up to face her groom.

His smile advertised the nervous contentment hiding behind his eyes. As she approached, slowly and carefully, she swore she could amost hear the ferociuos beating of his hearts beneath the impossibly clean tux. With a careful step she joined him at the altar and reached for his hand, her heart fluttering as she felt his fingers slip between hers.

He leaned towards her, inclining his head so as to try not to attract too much attention to his movment, and whisphered something almost inaudible into her hair. She gazed up at him and stood on her tiptoes to reach his ear, smiling against the warmth of his cheek and the gentle tickle of his hair against her nose, returning his words.

'I love you, too'


End file.
